JP2011504738A - Protein-free creamer, stabilization system and production method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A protein-free creamer composition and a stabilization system included in the creamer. The creamer composition comprises an emulsified component of at least two low molecular weight emulsifiers in a relative amount sufficient to achieve a stable emulsion, and an amount of microcrystalline cellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose sufficient to maintain the homogeneity of the composition. And a carrageenan gum component present in an amount sufficient to maintain the homogeneity of the composition. The creamer composition is a storage-stable sterile liquid creamer that is stable for at least about 9 months, an extended shelf-life (ESL) liquid creamer that is stable for at least about 4 months in refrigeration, or at least 24 months at ambient conditions. It can be in the form of a stable powder. The creamer composition provides sufficient whitening ability when added to a liquid beverage and a comfortable mouthfeel with no noticeable feathering or discernible fat separation.
[Selection figure] None

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[Field of the Invention]
The present invention relates to a protein-free creamer, a stabilization system included in the creamer, and a method for producing the creamer and the stabilization system. More particularly, the present invention relates to compositions for non-dairy extended shelf life (ESL), aseptically packaged shelf-stable liquid and powder creamers, and methods of making the creamers. .

[Background of the invention]
Creamers are used as whitening agents for hot and cold beverages such as coffee, cocoa and tea. Creamers are also often used in powder or particulate form as an alternative to milk or cream, for example with cereals or in cooking. Creamers are available in different flavors and often vary in terms of desirable qualities such as mouthfeel, richness and texture.

  Creamers (or whiteners) can be used in liquid or powder form. Powder forms tend to lack the ability to reproduce the quality of traditional dairy creamers, such as color, richness, and texture, and often do not achieve complete dissolution.

  Fresh or refrigerated dairy creamers usually provide good mouthfeel, but tend to rot rapidly even under refrigerated conditions, making dairy creamers unusable. The above disadvantages can be overcome by non-dairy creamers, but with a uniform extended shelf life (ESL) that has a certain manageable viscosity and is stable for months of storage at refrigerated and ambient temperatures, respectively. Or the challenge of creating a sterile liquid product remains. The main challenge of powder creamers is good solubility without adding feathering, precipitation, or other physicochemical instability problems when added to beverages.

  The market for non-dairy coffee creamers as coffee whiteners is growing rapidly, and the United States is the market leader for this type of product. There is also an increasing demand for low-fat and non-fat creamers. Providing the desired stability, color, texture, richness and flavor to low-fat or non-fat creamers is a further challenge since fat helps to achieve an emulsion.

  When added to a cold or warm beverage such as coffee, the creamer must have good whitening ability, dissolve quickly, remain stable without feathering and / or precipitation, and provide an excellent taste. Don't be. It is known that achieving physical stability in a high temperature acidic environment is particularly difficult. The creamer must also provide an excellent taste.

  Some patents such as EP 0457002 and US Pat. No. 3,935,325 are made from water, vegetable oil, protein or protein hydrolysates, carbohydrates, buffer salts, emulsifiers and other ingredients. A coffee creamer is listed. However, the coffee whitener is not stable on storage.

  U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,028 discloses a sterile liquid coffee whitener and method for its preparation. Such methods include UHT sterilization of water, vegetable fats, emulsifiers, milk proteins, salts and other raw material mixtures, cooling, homogenization, additional cooling, filling the resulting liquid into sterile containers under aseptic conditions. . The main drawback of the coffee whitener is the high level of fat in the creamer and the insufficient whitening power of the creamer when the fat level is reduced. The creamer is also stable to browning only under refrigerated conditions (up to 4 months).

No. 4,784,865, low fat milk, skim milk, preferably dairy coffee whitener containing TiO ₂ is described as an emulsifier, and whitener made of mono-diglycerides. The product is sterilized and remains stable for at least 90 days and 30 days, respectively, under refrigerated and non-refrigerated conditions. Since the whitener lacks a stabilization system, it can be expected that TiO ₂ will precipitate heavily during storage. Furthermore, because the product is not aseptically processed, an extended shelf life (at least 6 months) cannot be achieved.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,334 describes starch-based opacifiers, methods for their production, and food and non-food formulations containing such opacifiers. Such agents include opacifiers (eg TiO ₂ ) incorporated into the starch matrix. However, because the disclosed creamer has not been aseptically processed, an extended shelf life (at least 6 months) cannot be achieved. Moreover, large amounts of sodium caseinate have been used to achieve creamer emulsion stability.

  PCT application WO 2007/044782 describes a sterile liquid non-dairy creamer with an emulsifier level of at least 1% to achieve emulsion stability. To achieve creamer stability, emulsifiers are used in combination with milk proteins such as calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate, or potassium caseinate.

  Overall, currently existing creamer technology requires the use of proteins to achieve emulsion stability. Protein is known as a strong emulsifier. Therefore, milk proteins such as casein, sodium caseinate and whey protein are used due to their unique emulsifying properties. However, the addition of protein to highly heat treated (UHT) liquid coffee creamers can lead to precipitation due to protein denaturation and low water solubility of the protein or its derivatives. Furthermore, proteins in powder creamers can lead to precipitation and aggregation after creamer reconstitution in warm beverages, especially in acidic environments. Moreover, competition between proteins and low molecular weight emulsifiers can lead to emulsion instability that causes product creaming.

  Another disadvantage of using proteins such as casein and sodium caseinate in creamers is the aggregation that occurs during storage with ESL or sterile liquid creamers. For example, if the creamer is stored refrigerated, at room temperature or at an elevated temperature, it may form a “plug” overnight, but this plug makes it difficult to pour and makes the product unusable. Further, when added to coffee, feathering may occur due to protein emulsion instability in a warm acidic environment.

  Ultimately, as the cost of proteins such as casein increases, it is desirable to reduce or remove proteins in the creamer. The challenge in creating low protein or protein free creamers is to create a stable emulsion without phase separation (eg, creaming, gelling, detachment) during storage and after reconstitution with beverages, particularly warm acidic beverages. Is to achieve.

  Accordingly, there is a need for ESL, sterile liquid creamers, and powdered creamers that are protein free but still maintain the desirable properties of raw creamers and are free of instability problems associated with milk proteins such as casein. In particular, protein-free creamers have good physicochemical stability over the shelf life (no creaming or precipitation) and a pleasant mouthfeel (no feathering or fat separation) when added to liquid beverages such as coffee ) Must have.

[Summary of Invention]
The invention set forth herein provides a stable protein-free creamer in liquid or powder form that remains stable over an extended period of time and remains stable when added to beverages such as coffee. By doing so, the requirements not satisfied in this technical field are satisfied. The protein-free creamer composition of the present invention is generally sufficient to maintain a homogeneity of the composition with an emulsifying component comprising at least two different molecular weight emulsifiers in a relative amount sufficient to achieve a stable emulsion. An amount of a cellulose component comprising a blend of two different cellulose compounds and a carrageenan gum (also referred to as gum) component present in an amount sufficient to maintain the homogeneity of the composition. The creamer composition comprises (a) a sterile liquid creamer that is stable at ambient temperature for at least about 9 months prior to opening; (b) a liquid that has an extended shelf life (ESL) and is stable at refrigerated temperature for at least about 2 months. It may be in the form of a creamer, or (c) a powder that is stable for at least 24 months at ambient temperature. In use, the liquid aseptic creamer, liquid ESL creamer or powder creamer provides sufficient whitening ability when added to a liquid beverage and a comfortable mouthfeel without recognizable feathering or visually recognizable fat separation can do.

  Preferably, the emulsifying component comprises a combination of at least one low hydrophobic / lipophilic balance (HLB) emulsifier and at least one medium HLB emulsifier. The low HLB emulsifier and the medium HLB emulsifier are present together in an amount of about 0.05 to 0.8% by weight of the total composition, and can be present in a weight ratio of about 5: 1 to about 1:20. The low HLB emulsifier may be monoglyceride, diglyceride, acetylated monoglyceride, sorbitan trioleate, glycerol dioleate, sorbitan tristearate, propylene glycol monostearate, monooleic acid and glycerol monostearate, or combinations thereof it can. The medium HLB emulsifier is sorbitan monooleate, propylene glycol monolaurate, sorbitan monostearate, stearoxy-2-calcium lactate, sorbitan glycerol monopalmitate, soy lecithin, diacetyl tartaric acid monoglyceride, or combinations thereof. In one preferred embodiment, the low HLB emulsifier is a monoglyceride and the medium HLB emulsifier is an acid ester of a monoglyceride.

  The cellulose component is a blend of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) present in a total amount of about 0.05 to about 1% by weight of the composition, where MCC and CMC are about 3: 1 to Present in a weight ratio of approximately 30: 1. The carrageenan gum component can be kappa carrageenan gum, iota carrageenan gum, or a combination thereof and is present in an amount of about 0.005 to about 0.1% by weight of the composition. In a preferred embodiment, the carrageenan gum component is a combination of kappa and iota carrageenan having a weight ratio of about 6: 1 to about 1:10.

  The creamer also includes one or more pH buffering agents, a sweetener in an amount of about 0.1 to about 50% by weight of the composition, or a vegetable oil in an amount of about 0.1 to about 33% by weight of the composition. be able to. The creamer can be high fat, low fat or non-fat and the total solids can be between approximately 5 and approximately 98% by weight of the composition.

  In addition, the creamer may include a whitening agent in an amount sufficient to additionally whiten the aqueous media to which the creamer has been added. In one embodiment, the whitening agent is titanium dioxide and can be present in an amount of approximately 0.1 to approximately 1% by weight of the composition and the particle size is approximately 0.1 to approximately 0.7 microns.

  Powder creamer compositions prepared according to embodiments of the present invention can have a particle size in the range of approximately 100 to approximately 4000 microns.

  Embodiments of the present invention are also directed to compositions comprising the creamers described herein with an amount of water sufficient to make a liquid creamer. The composition comprises a cellulose component in an amount of 0.05 to 1.0 wt%, a gum component present in an amount of 0.005 to 0.1 wt%, and an emulsification in an amount of 0.05 to 0.8 wt%. Ingredients and water in an amount of 35-95% by weight are included.

  A further embodiment of the invention is directed to a beverage of an aqueous liquid and the creamer composition indicated herein, wherein the creamer is present in an amount sufficient to impart a creaming effect to the beverage. The beverage can have a solids content in the range of approximately 0.5 to approximately 10% by weight of the total beverage. The beverage can further comprise a beverage forming component such as coffee, tea, chocolate or fruit beverage.

  A further embodiment of the present invention is directed to a milk replacer made with the creamer composition shown herein. The milk replacer is suitable for use with food or in cooking.

  The present invention also relates to a method for producing the creamer composition, comprising the steps of supplying an emulsifying component, a cellulose component and a carrageenan gum component in powder form, and dissolving the powder component with stirring in hot water. Sweeteners or whitening agents in powder form can also be added to the hot water with stirring. Thereafter, vegetable oil or fat can be added to the hot water to produce a mixture of all ingredients, which can then be subjected to UHT treatment, homogenization, cooling and filling into containers under aseptic conditions. If necessary, the mixture can be dried to a powder before filling into the container.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
The present invention is directed to a protein-free creamer composition in liquid or powder form, which composition is stable as a creamer composition for an extended period of time and when added to a liquid medium or a beverage such as coffee. Is also stable. Embodiments directed to liquid protein-free creamers include sterile liquid creamers that are stable for up to 9 months at ambient temperature and ESL liquid creamers that are stable for up to 2 months at refrigerated temperatures. The protein-free creamer in powder form is stable for up to 24 months at ambient temperature.

  Protein-free creamer compositions are formed by the interaction of oil / fat and carbohydrates and are stabilized by the use of emulsifiers and hydrocolloids. The emulsification system (or component) includes a relative amount of at least two low molecular weight emulsifiers sufficient to achieve a stable emulsion both in the creamer and when the creamer is added to the aqueous medium. For a stable oil-in-water emulsion, an emulsifier with a high HLB value is expected to achieve the best stability. Surprisingly, however, it has been found that a combination of low and medium HLB low molecular weight emulsifiers provides the best stability in a liquid creamer. It has further been found that certain ratios achieve excellent emulsion stability.

  In order for the protein-free creamer composition to achieve excellent emulsion stability, the ratio of low HLB emulsifier to high HLB emulsifier is approximately (5-1) :( 1-20), preferably approximately (3- 1): (1-7), most preferably in the range of (1.5-1): (2-4). The total amount of emulsifier can be about 0.05 to about 0.8% by weight of the total composition.

  Low molecular weight emulsifiers with low HLB values include but are not limited to monoglycerides, diglycerides, acetylated monoglycerides, sorbitan trioleate, glycerol dioleate, sorbitan tristearate, propylene glycol monostearate, monooleic acid and mono Examples thereof include glycerol stearate alone or in combination. Low molecular weight emulsifiers with medium HLB values include, but are not limited to, sorbitan monooleate, propylene glycol monolaurate, sorbitan monostearate, stearoxy-2-calcium lactate, sorbitan glycerol monopalmitate, soy lecithin, diacetyltartaric acid A monoglyceride may be used alone or in combination.

  The emulsifier used is not limited to those composed of a single acyl or fatty acid component such as having a specific carbon chain length or degree of unsaturation. In a preferred embodiment, the emulsifier is monoglyceride and acid esters of monoglycerides. A particularly preferred embodiment comprises a combination of monoglycerides and acid esters of monoglycerides.

  Surprisingly, it has been found that the emulsion stabilization system described above is sufficient only in combination with the MCC / CMC / carrageenan hydrocolloid stabilization system. Therefore, a protein-free system with only a low molecular weight emulsifier cannot suppress the physicochemical instability of the liquid coffee creamer without the hydrocolloid stabilization system. Moreover, hydrocolloid stabilization systems other than the specific ratios of CMC / MCC / carrageenan shown herein also do not provide physicochemical stability of protein-free liquid creamers. For example, the preferred emulsification system shown herein is combined with carrageenan / xanthan / CMC, carrageenan / xanthan / MCC, carrageenan / gellan / MCC, carrageenan / gellan / CMC, guar gum / carrageenan / MCC and many other combinations. Severe phase separation occurred in the liquid creamer.

  Thus, the protein-free creamer composition includes a cellulose component having a blend of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and a carrageenan gum component. The cellulose and gum components are present in an amount sufficient to maintain the composition in a homogeneous state so that there is no component separation, precipitation, creaming, feathering, gelation, or viscosity change. Thus, the cellulose and gum components contribute to a hydrocolloid stabilization system that helps maintain the stability of the creamer composition alone and when added to a liquid medium.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the MCC / CMC / carrageenan stabilization system is approximately 0.05-1% by weight of the total composition, more preferably 0.2-0.7% by weight, most preferably 0.1%. It is present in an amount of 3 to 0.5% by weight. When the total amount of hydrocolloid used was less than 0.05%, the whitener sample had a bad odor, and when the total amount of hydrocolloid was more than 1%, the sample was severely detached and creamed.

  The cellulose component of the MCC / CMC blend is approximately 0.01-1% by weight of the composition, preferably approximately 0.2-0.6% by weight, most preferably approximately 0.3-0.5% by weight of the composition. Can be present in any amount. The ratio of MCC to CMC is preferably about 8: 1 to 12: 1, most preferably about 9: 1 to 10: 1. Also, co-processed MCC and CMC may be used.

  The cellulose and gum components are present together in an amount of about 0.05 to about 1.0% by weight of the total composition, and the cellulose and gum components are present in a weight ratio between 200: 1 to 1:10. be able to.

  The carrageenan gum component is preferably present in an amount of approximately 0.005-0.1% by weight of the composition and can be kappa carrageenan, iota carrageenan, lambda carrageenan, or a combination thereof. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the carrageenan is a kappa / iota carrageenan blend with a weight ratio of approximately 6: 1 to approximately 1:10. Suitable examples include those sold by the FMC Corporation under Philadelphia, Pennsylvania under the trademark Seachem or Viscarin, or sold by Danisco A / S in Denmark under the trademark Grinstead. What is being done is mentioned.

  The weight ratio of MCC / CMC / carrageenan is (5-200) :( 1-30) :( 1-10), preferably (20-45) :( 1-10) :( 1-5), most preferably It can be in the range of (30-40) :( 1-5) :( 1-3). A particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a low molecular weight emulsifier emulsification system in combination with the MCC / CMC / carrageenan stabilization system according to the above percentages and ratios.

  MCC / CMC co-processed with carrageenans such as kappa, lambda, iota-carrageenan can also be used. Suitable examples of co-processed MCC / CMC / carrageenan include those sold by FMC Corporation of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania under the trademark Avicel.

  Surprisingly, it has been found that the addition of the hydrocolloid stabilization system shown herein also has a significant effect on the taste of the protein-free creamer. For example, sterile casein-free liquid coffee without hydrocolloids oxidised and produced an undesirable “foreign” taste when stored at room temperature for 2 months. In contrast, coffee supplemented with protein-free creamers (including hydrocolloid stabilization systems) made according to embodiments of the present invention has a good mouthfeel, richness, smooth texture, and off-flavors and undesirable aftertaste in sensory evaluation Shows a pleasant taste without any.

  The protein-free creamer can further include the use of a whitening agent in an amount sufficient to whiten the aqueous medium to which the whitening agent has been added. In one embodiment, the whitening agent is such as titanium dioxide and can be present in an amount of about 0.1 to about 1% by weight of the composition. Titanium dioxide has a particle size in the range of 0.1 to 0.7 microns, and in a preferred embodiment has a particle size of 0.4 microns. Other suitable whitening agents known in the art such as calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, aluminum oxide can also be used. In another embodiment, the particle size range is between 0.3 and 0.5 microns. The optimum size of the whitening component is obtained when transmitting the white color with the strongest light scattering. The size is related to the wavelength considered, and the optimal size would be around half the average wavelength or around 0.30 microns, considering the entire visible light spectrum. It can be expected that as the size decreases, the liquid creamer itself will have a bluish color, while as the size increases, the whitening power will gradually decrease. Using an average particle size around 0.30 microns should be beneficial for at least two reasons. An increase in whitening power leads to a reduction in whitening components necessary to obtain the same target color, thereby reducing costs. Smaller particles tend to suspend and maintain a suspended state. In general, from the point of view of gravity that causes a settling tendency, suspended particles are governed by the terminal velocity of Stokes' law. However, when the particle size is smaller than approximately 2.0 microns, other forces become significant and also control sedimentation or suspension. It is well known that the Brownian motion is dominant below 2.0 microns, and gravity becomes smaller and less important as the size decreases. Therefore, small particles tend to suspend without being settled in large quantities (Basic Principles of Particulate Size). (Analysis, Alan Rawle, Malvern Instruments Limited).

  The creamer can also include a pH buffer. Preferably the pH range is approximately 6-8, more preferably approximately 6.5-7.5. Non-limiting examples of suitable buffering agents are potassium phosphate, dipotassium phosphate, potassium hydrogen phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, sodium phosphate, disodium phosphate, sodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate Such as salt. The buffering agent can be present in an amount of about 0.5 to about 1% of the total weight of the composition.

  If necessary, the creamer can contain a sweetener, including, but not limited to, sucrose, fructose, maltodextrin, high fructose corn syrup, other natural sweeteners, artificial sweeteners Or a combination thereof. The sweetener can be present at a concentration of about 0.1-50% by weight of the total composition, preferably about 5-30%. The whitener can also include additional colorants and / or flavorings.

  Both liquid and powder creamers may contain approximately 0.1 to 33% by weight of vegetable oil (s). The vegetable oil (s) can include partially or wholly hydrogenated oils, alone or in combination. Suitable vegetable oils include but are not limited to soybean oil, coconut oil, palm oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil.

  The liquid creamer can have a total solids content of approximately 5 to 65%, preferably approximately 10 to 50%, most preferably approximately 12 to 45% by weight of the total composition. When combined with an aqueous beverage such as coffee, the resulting liquid has a solids content of approximately 0.5 to 10%, preferably approximately 4 to 8%, most preferably approximately 5 to 6% by weight of the total composition. be able to. Creamers can be high fat, low fat, or reduced in fat.

  The powder creamer can have a particle size of approximately 100 to approximately 4000 microns, preferably 500 to 3000 microns, and most preferably approximately 1000 to 2000 microns. The powder creamer can be prepared by floor drying, spray drying, freeze drying, granulation, or other techniques known in the art.

  Embodiments of the present invention include the creamer composition shown herein in further combination with an amount of water sufficient to make a liquid creamer. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention include a cellulose component present in an amount of 0.05-1.0 wt%, a gum component present in an amount of 0.005-0.1 wt%, 0.05-0.8 A creamer having an emulsifying component present in an amount of weight percent and water present in an amount of 35-95 weight percent. Further embodiments of the present invention also extend to beverages comprising creamer compositions and aqueous liquids for making milk substitutes suitable for consumption with food or for use in cooking. In another embodiment, a sufficient amount of creamer is added to the beverage to impart a creaming effect to the beverage. The creaming effect provides qualities associated with creams or dairy products such as desirable flavor, texture, richness and color (lightening or whitening).

  The beverage can have a solids content of about 0.5 to about 10% by weight of the total beverage. The beverage can further comprise a beverage forming component such as coffee, tea, chocolate or fruit beverage. The beverage forming ingredient can also have a certain flavor, such as a powder or crystalline material, typically cocoa, malt, or fruit flavor crystals. The present invention also extends to the use of creamers as milk substitutes that can be consumed directly or with other food products such as cereals.

  The liquid ESL, sterile, and powder creamers presented herein were formulated to produce a beverage with a good mouthfeel and richness, a smooth texture, and a pleasant taste with no off-flavors. In particular, the creamer has been formulated to be compatible with warm acidic beverages such as coffee, but includes a wider range of uses. For example, the liquid and powder creamers described herein can be used for addition to other liquid beverages and soups, and for use in cooking.

  With the novel stabilization system presented herein, ESL liquid creamers are physicochemically stable for at least 120 days at refrigerated temperatures (4-8 ° C.) and sterile liquid creamers are at room temperature (approximately 20-25 ° C) and elevated temperatures (approximately 30-38 ° C) for at least 9 months. The liquid creamer has a total solids content of between 5 and 65%, preferably between 10 and 50%, most preferably between 12 and 45%. Both sterile and ESL products maintain a manageable viscosity throughout the product life.

  The present invention relates to an ESL and a sterile storage-stable liquid coffee creamer comprising the steps of supplying an emulsifying component, a cellulose component and a carrageenan gum component in powder form, and dissolving the powder component with stirring in hot water The manufacturing method is further provided. Other optional ingredients such as sweeteners or whitening agents can be included in the above steps in powder form. The molten oil / fat is then added to the hot water to produce a mixture of all ingredients. The mixture is then subjected to UHT treatment, homogenization, cooling, filling into ESL or sterile containers under aseptic conditions. Homogenization can be performed before and / or after the heat treatment.

  The method of making a powder creamer includes dissolving the powder components in water under stirring, adding melted fat / oil, followed by sterilization, homogenization, drying, cooling, and filling.

The advantages of the present invention are numerous. First, the present invention achieves a protein-free, true non-dairy creamer without the use of casein or its derivatives. A creamer using the stabilization system shown herein achieves excellent stability without separation, creaming, gelling, syneresis or precipitation. The creamer has a high whitening ability without oxidation or discoloration. Creamers can be easily dispersed in liquid media and are stable even in warm acidic environments. Creamers, both alone and when added to beverages, exhibit a pleasant mouthfeel, richness, smooth texture, and a pleasant flavor with no off-notes. The elimination of the need for milk proteins such as casein also allows for significant cost savings. Furthermore, when titanium dioxide is used as an auxiliary whitener, TiO ₂ is maintained in complete suspension throughout the creamer's shelf life at any temperature condition.

  The embodiments and examples illustrated and discussed herein are intended only to teach those skilled in the art the best way to produce and use the invention as known to the inventors. The embodiments of the present invention described above can be modified or changed without departing from the present invention, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. Accordingly, all appropriate modifications which can be easily obtained by a person skilled in the art by routine experimentation based on the disclosure of the present specification or the disclosure are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. Is considered to be within.

Claims (22)

An emulsifying component comprising at least two different low molecular weight emulsifiers in a relative amount sufficient to achieve a stable emulsion;
A cellulose component comprising a blend of two different cellulose compounds in an amount sufficient to maintain the homogeneity of the composition;
A protein-free creamer composition comprising a carrageenan gum component present in an amount sufficient to maintain the homogeneity of the composition,
The creamer composition is: (a) a sterile liquid creamer that is stable for at least about 9 months prior to opening at ambient temperature, (b) a liquid that has an extended shelf life (ESL) and is stable for at least about 4 months at refrigerated temperature. Creamer, or (c) in the form of a powder that is stable for at least 24 months at ambient temperature,
Proteins wherein the liquid aseptic creamer, liquid ESL creamer and powder creamer provide sufficient whitening ability when added to a liquid beverage and a comfortable mouthfeel without recognizable feathering or visually recognizable fat separation Non-containing creamer composition.   The emulsifying component comprises a combination of at least one low HLB emulsifier and at least one medium HLB emulsifier in a weight ratio of about 5: 1 to about 1:20, both of which are low in the total composition. The composition of claim 1 present in an amount of about 0.05 to 0.8 weight percent.   The low HLB emulsifier is monoglyceride, diglyceride, acetylated monoglyceride, sorbitan trioleate, glycerol dioleate, sorbitan tristearate, propylene glycol monostearate, monooleic acid and glycerol monostearate, or combinations thereof; The HLB emulsifier is sorbitan monooleate, propylene glycol monolaurate, sorbitan monostearate, stearoxy-2-calcium lactate, sorbitan glycerol monopalmitate, soybean lecithin, diacetyltartaric acid monoglyceride, or a combination thereof. The composition as described.   The cellulose component is a blend of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and is present in a total amount of about 0.05 to about 1% by weight of the composition, with MCC and CMC being about (5-200 ): (1-30), preferably a composition according to any one of claims 1-3, present in a weight ratio of about 3: 1 to about 30: 1.   5. A composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrageenan gum component is present in an amount of about 0.005 to about 0.1% by weight of the composition.   6. The composition of claim 5, wherein the carrageenan gum component is kappa carrageenan gum, iota carrageenan gum, lambda carrageenan gum, or a combination thereof.   The composition of claim 5 or 6, wherein the carrageenan gum component is a combination of kappa carrageenan and iota carrageenan in a weight ratio of about 6: 1 to about 1:10.   The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a carrageenan gum component and a cellulose component are provided as a co-processed composition comprising the carrageenan gum component and the cellulose component.   further comprising one or more of a pH buffering agent, a sweetener in an amount of about 0.1 to about 50% by weight of the composition, or a vegetable oil in an amount of about 0.1 to about 33% by weight of the composition, The composition as described in any one of Claims 1-8.   10. A composition according to any one of the preceding claims, which can further comprise a whitening agent in an amount sufficient to additionally whiten the aqueous medium to which the creamer has been added.   11. The composition of claim 10, wherein the whitening agent is titanium dioxide having a particle size of about 0.1 to about 0.7 microns and present in an amount of about 0.1 to about 1% by weight of the composition. object.   12. A composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11 in the form of a powder creamer having a particle size of approximately 100 to approximately 4000 microns.   13. A composition according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a sufficient amount of water to make a liquid creamer.   14. The composition of claim 13, wherein the creamer is a high fat, low fat or non-fat liquid composition and has a total solids content of between about 5 and about 65% by weight of the composition. The emulsifying component comprises a combination of at least one low HLB emulsifier and at least one medium HLB emulsifier in a weight ratio of about 5: 1 to about 1:20, both of the low HLB emulsifier and the medium HLB emulsifier both in the whole composition Present in an amount of approximately 0.05 to 0.8% by weight of
The cellulose component is a blend of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and is present in a total amount of about 0.05 to about 1% by weight of the composition, with MCC and CMC being about 3: 1 to Present in a weight ratio of approximately 30: 1,
15. The carrageenan gum component is kappa carrageenan gum, iota carrageenan gum, lambda carrageenan gum, or a combination thereof and is present in an amount of about 0.005 to about 0.1% by weight of the composition. A composition according to claim 1.   A beverage comprising an aqueous liquid, a beverage forming component, and a creamer composition according to any one of claims 1 to 15 in an amount sufficient to impart a creaming effect to the beverage.   17. A beverage according to claim 16, wherein the beverage forming component is coffee, tea, chocolate or fruit beverage.   A milk replacer comprising a composition according to any one of claims 1 to 15 for consumption with food or for use in cooking.   The creamer composition according to any one of claims 1 to 15, comprising a step of supplying an emulsified component, a cellulose component and a carrageenan gum component in powder form, and a step of dissolving the powder component with stirring in hot water. Manufacturing method.   20. The method of claim 19, further comprising adding a sweetener or whitening agent in powder form into the hot water with stirring.   Adding the vegetable oil or fat to the hot water to produce a mixture of all ingredients, and subsequently subjecting the mixture to UHT treatment, homogenization, cooling, filling into containers under aseptic conditions. The method according to 19 or 20.   Adding vegetable oil or fat to hot water to produce a mixture of all ingredients; subsequently subjecting the mixture to UHT treatment, homogenization, cooling, drying to powder, and filling the powder into a container under aseptic conditions; The method of any one of claims 19, 20 and 21, further comprising: